Berry and fig muffins

Ingredients

• 50g dried figs, chopped
• 1 cup (150g) plain flour
• ¾ cup (120g) wholemeal flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ⅓ cup (75g) raw caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 125g mixed fresh or frozen berries*
• ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (60ml) light olive oil or sunflower oil
• 1½ teaspoons natural vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seed kernels

Preparation

1. Place the fig and ½ cup (125ml) water in a small saucepan, then bring to the boil over low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes for the figs to plump slightly. Drain well and leave to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 180° C (160° C fan-forced). Line 24 mini muffin tray holes (30ml capacity) with small paper cases.
3. Sift the flours and baking powder into a bowl, then return the husks to the bowl from the sieve and stir in the caster sugar and chia seeds. Gently stir in the berries and fig.
4. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, oil and vanilla together in a separate bowl. Add to the flour mixture and fold together until just combined; don't over-mix as the batter does not need to be smooth.
5. Spoon the batter evenly into the paper cases and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon and sunflower seeds. Bake for 13–15 minutes or until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed.
6. Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. (Muffins are best eaten on the day they are baked, however, they freeze well. Wrap each muffin in plastic film and seal in a plastic bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.)

This recipe is an excerpt from the Healthy Cholesterol Diet and Lifestyle Plan which is packed with delicious recipes to help you adopt a cholesterol-friendly diet.